Identifier: insectsabroadbei00wooduoft (find matches)
Title: Insects abroad : being a popular account of foreign insects, their structure, habits, and transformations
Year: 1883 (1880s)
Authors: Wood, J. G. (John George), 1827-1889
Subjects: Insects
Publisher: London : Longmans, Green
Contributing Library: Gerstein - University of Toronto
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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ort and comparatively insignificant, being so greatly developedas nearly to equal the thigh in size, and so to give to the limbits required length. The thigh is very strong, flattish, slight In-curved on the under side, and boldly grooved, the groove havinga row of teeth or spikes on either side. Into this groove thetibia can be shut just as the blade of a clasp-knife is shut intoits handle, and, as the tibia is flat and armed with spikes likethose of the thigh, it is evident that an insect which is seized inso formidable a trap has but little chance of escape. Being slow of foot, the Mantis is not able to capture its preyby speed, but does so by craft. Holding the two front legsraised above its head in the attitude represented in Plate V.Fig. 1, it steals slowly and gently towards its prey until it iswithin reach of its stroke, when a sharp and rapid movement ofthe raptorial legs eneloses the hapless insect in their gra-;>,where it is held until eaten. As in most cases, the colour
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THE PRAYING MANTIS. 291 of the body harmonizing with that of the surrounding objects,the intended pre)r is the less cognizant of its approach. Like many other predacious creatures, the Mantis will remainmotionless for hours, its fore-legs raised over its head, ready tostrike at any insect that may come within reach. This attitudehas been strangely misconstrued, not only in Europe but inother parts of the world. The attitude, really one of menace, ismistaken for that of prayer, and accordingly one species whichinhabits Southern Europe is called the Praying Mantis (Mantisreligiosa). This insect is called Prie-Dieu by the Frenchpeasants, and Louva Dios by the Portuguese ; while, accordingto Sparrmann, the Hottentots worship the Mantis as a deity,and hold anyone to be a saint on whom one of these insectsmay alight. Mouffet, in his Theatre of Insects, evidently inclines to thebelief that the Mantis does possess some supernatural power. They are called Mantes, foretellers, either because by

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